Polymer building products have long been known and are often utilized in residential and commercial construction. In addition to polymeric roofing and siding, such building products include wall and roof mounted, multi-part assemblies like mounting blocks, vents, etc. Mounting blocks, a generic descriptor, encompass exteriorly-mounted assemblies used to trim exterior fixtures such as electrical outlets, switches, light fixtures, exterior faucets, utilities' meters, etc. Exemplary mounting blocks are shown and described in, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,920,708 and 6,429,371. Vents include exterior exhaust and intake assemblies, such as, for example, dryer vents, gable vents, roof vents, vents for kitchen and/or bathroom ventilation systems. Exemplary vents are shown and described in, for instance, U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,386,972, 5,729,935, and 4,875,318.
Conventionally, mounting block and vent assemblies alike are essentially characterized by a base portion which is affixed to the exterior surface—usually the substrate—of a residential or commercial building, and a decorative top or trim portion which is securely mated to the base portion following installation of roofing or siding about the base portion. The top portion, which in the case of vents may include the louvers or other ventilating openings therein (although these may also be provided in the base portion), serves in part to obscure any untidy appearance presented by the ends of the roofing or siding proximate the base portion. More particularly, and as exemplified in the U.S. Patents mentioned heretofore, the base portion of these multi-piece building products generally includes a peripheral flange adapted to abut and be fastened to (such as by nails or the like) the substrate of a structure, and an axial wall extending approximately perpendicularly from the flange so as to project outwardly away from the structure when the base portion is affixed to the substrate. As also exemplified in these patents, the top portion likewise includes an axial wall projecting approximately perpendicularly from a peripheral flange. The axial wall of the top portion is dimensioned so as to be telescopingly received over (either inside or outside of) the wall of the base portion in lapped relation thereto to define a mated condition of the base and top portions.
In order to secure the base and top portions together, there are conventionally provided complementary engaging means, such as the interlocking projections and recesses taught in U.S. Pat. No. 4,920,708. Alternatively, one or even both of the wall of the base portion and the wall of the top portion may be provided with projections adapted to bite into the wall of the other of the base or top portion in order to prevent separation of the base and top portions. According to one embodiment of these prior art means, exemplified in FIG. 1, metal clips 10 are attached to one or both walls of the base and/or top portions, each such clip including one or more “teeth” 11 projecting therefrom so as to engage the adjacent wall of the other of the base or top portions when the base and top portions are in the mated condition. These teeth 11 are angled so as to project upwardly toward the flange of the top portion when disposed on the top portion or, when disposed on the base portion, so as to project downwardly toward a flange of the base portion. The teeth 11 are, moreover, somewhat flexible so that they may be urged inwardly toward the associated base or top portion when the walls of the two portions are lapped. By virtue of the foregoing configuration, the teeth 11 do not interfere with the mating engagement of the top portion with the base portion, but do resist disengagement thereof by “biting” into the adjacent wall in response to any movement of the two portions away from each other.
While it is preferable for manufacturers to package the separate portions of mounting blocks, vents and like multi-piece building products in an assembled condition so to prevent loss of one portion or the other (i.e., top or base), the ability to do so is frustrated by the fact that the engaging means prevent ready disassembly of the products, including, as in the case of the clips heretofore described, without causing damage thereto. With respect particularly to the metallic dip interlocking-means described above in relation to FIG. 1, it has heretofore been the case that the clips were not secured to the building products by the manufacturer. Rather, the base and top portions of these products are packaged in an assembled condition with the clips simply being loosely disposed in the package to be secured to the wall of one or both of the base and top portions by a user at the time of product installation on a structure. Unfortunately, this solution often results in the loss of some or all of the “loose” clips before they can be attached to the base or top portions.